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April 5, 2015

The Emotional and Developmental Impact of Childhood Sports

Updated on 5/28/17

As parents we all know it’s important for children to be
involved in a variety of activities from elementary school through high school.
These activities build character and help them develop socialization skills. It’s
also important for children to explore different activities, as these
experiences can shape future career paths. Sports can be one of those outlets that can
have short and long term benefits in overall development.

Here are some of the advantages of early involvement in
individual and team sports:

1. Self
Esteem/Confidence

Participating in sports is a great way to build self esteem
and confidence. You would be amazed at the impact of a small ribbon for
achievement can do for a child’s confidence. Some adults don’t believe in the
“participation” ribbon for everyone. I have mixed feelings about it. Although
it’s important for kids to get something for participation and encouragement,
it’s also important to understand that they can’t always get rewarded for
average results.

2. Encourages a Healthy
Lifestyle

Time spent participating in sports means time away from the
television and the cell phone. Sports
encourage movement and exercise which is critical in reducing childhood
obesity. Many schools are reducing recess times so it’s important to find
alternative opportunities to stay active. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity levels have increased
dramatically in the last 30 years. This increase in childhood obesity is
largely due to a lack of physical activity and poor eating habits. Encouraging
physical activities a young age can reduce the onset of Type 2 diabetes and
heart disease.

3. Discipline

Sports instills discipline by providing structure and
coaching. Being on time for practice, learning plays and following specific directions
all help young people develop discipline and organization. Sports like dance,
martial arts, cheerleading and gymnastics tend to have more focus on body
control and tend to help with discipline.
Instilling discipline and organization at a young age increase the
likelihood that they will be disciplined as adults. Young people who develop good discipline
usually turn out to be good college students and eventually good employees.

4. Socialization and
Teamwork

Participation in sports is another way that kids can
socialize and learn to work as a team. They
have an opportunity to make new friends and they learn the importance of being
part of a team. Participating in team sports can also help develop leadership
skills. Some sports such as dance and cheerleading are a cross between sports
and arts. They often require the learning of a specific routine and require a
great deal of choreography. They require repetition and teamwork to be
successful. Learning teamwork skills at a young age can translate to the
workplace as an adult.

5. Future Planning

Involvement in sports and other extracurricular activities
can be helpful when planning for the future. Colleges and employers look at
these activities when making decisions on what students will be the most
successful in their university or at their place of business. Sports provide an opportunity for young people
to earn college scholarships.